In a year full of challenge and adversity for so many of us, Pagosa Springs, its residents and its business community contributed much to provide a platform for success this season. In spite of the economic challenge, your support allowed us to generate enough money that nine local students received more than $7,000 in scholarships.

It was so rewarding to see the involvement of so many diverse groups from the community come together to make it all happen. Young, old, bikers, hikers, runners, horses, ATVers, athletes, land owners, government agencies, civic leaders, renegades, couch potatoes and politicians! Through it all each of you laughed and cheered and worked together to help us make our mission of getting kids unplugged, off the couch and outside, a reality…

Thank you,

Morgan and Nancy Murri

Intermediate school

Many heartfelt thanks go out to these awesome high school leaders who did a fantastic job, again, at our fourth annual and best-ever Fifth Grade Kindness Retreat and Sixth Grade Courage Retreat: Dakota Ross, Emmi Greer, Nicola Shaw, Sarah Smith, Paul Hoffman, Clay Ross, Tyson Ross, Kevan Calhoun, Zach Lucero, Preston Sandoval, Dillon Sandoval, Austin Jones, Laith Scherer, Alissa Snyder, Samantha Hunts, Timothy Yount, Kelsea Anderson, Re’ahna Ray, Andrew Rice, Magan Kraetsch, Brooklyn DeCharme, Kala Matzdorf, Megan Bryant, Breezy Bryant, Max Miller and Kelsi Lucero. You guys rock! A huge thank you to Joanne Irons for making the Youth Center available to us, to Stewart Bellina and the Pirate Achievement Center students who took care of the housekeeping details, Barbie Voorhees and her kitchen staff for the delicious meals they prepared for us. And thank you to the staff at the intermediate school, who wrote the book on teamwork and synergy! Lastly, and most importantly, thanks to the fifth- and sixth-graders who participated, shared and set new records that the staff from Youth Frontiers can go back to Minnesota and brag about.

Karyn Smith

Early Detection

The Pagosa Mountain Clinic and Early Detection Center would like to sincerely thank all of the volunteers who gave so much of their time to help make our Early Detection Week a huge success. Your dedication and commitment to the health of our community was clearly evident as you spent hours preparing for the Early Detection Week, as well as working many hours during that week, making sure that all of our clients felt welcomed and were informed. Again, thank you for all of your help. We could not have accomplished such a huge turnout without your hard work!

Sincerely,

The Pagosa Mountain Early Detection Center

PFPD

Members of the Pagosa Fire Protection District would like to say thank you to those who attended our annual Safety Carnival and Open House at Fire Station No. 1 this past Saturday. We provided games, demonstrations and food to more than 200 attendees. Fire department volunteers and career staff provided the public with information and activities stressing fire and home safety, as well as rescue, fire extinguisher and water application demonstrations. A big thanks goes to the volunteer firefighters who willingly gave up a Saturday to make this event a great success. Be looking for a bigger and better event next year.